Contemporary Classical Composers - new discoveries

@mahgister I listen overwhelmingly mostly to tonal music. I have now over 51,000 LPs/CDs/78s/R2R with 3,000+ piano CDs 10,000+ LPs alone.

I agree with most of your comments. I also have over 70,000 classical vocal and opera recordings/tracks. Season tickets with over 400 live opera performances.

I prefer modern/current composers with gorgeous melodies and harmonies, mixed jazz/classical genre or other mixed music from choral to orchestral (Aminadav Aloni, Maria Newman, etc). Maria Newman has music which also harkens back to Schoenberg’s brother in law Erich Zeisl (whose music I adore and I was the archival engineer for 11 CD compilations of his pre-1960 recordings for his Vienna Centennial in 2005 thanks to his grandson Randol Schoenberg).

Where I strongly disagree is the horrible (but presumtively great performance) of Philip Glass Akhnaten which I saw to my dismay, live at the LA Opera. From the opening bars where the idea is to create tension, it creates a negative energy like someone clawing their nails on a chalkboard. The ending with the death of the six daughters had no input from them and totally bizarre and uninteresting. No real sung libretto, just noise. The poor dancers rolling balls back and forth on the ground. REAL DRECK!

You want a GREAT new opera-Omar by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels. It didn’t have a solo that I could hum or sing but overall, the story, libretto and production were superlative.

Zeisl is not contemporary by age because he died in 1960, like Kurt Weill, another favorite of mine. But Maria Newman is still here. I performed her choral/orchestral works that have not been recorded unfortunately.

Here’s a sample of her throwback to Zeisl (whom I introduced to AFTER she wrote this work).

Le Livre D’Esther in G minor, Op. 38 No. 2: iI. Mordecai - YouTube

Le Livre D’Esther in G minor, Op. 38 No. 2: iII. The Decrees of Esther - YouTube Le Livre D’Esther in G minor, Op. 38 No. 2: iV. Purim (youtube.com)

Le Livre D’Esther in G minor, Op. 38 No. 2: i. The Purification (youtube.com) (nice opening movement-look to other 3 for real excitement. 

Does this remind you of Copland possibly?  She is also a superb violinist and violist.  I have done recordings for the Viklarbo Chamber at non Marlboro venues in Los Angeles.  

So many great current composers of ethnic/religious music that are classical music as well.  Few "classical" music aficionados have heard the breath and depth of modern composition.  I have about 1,000 "modernist" classical music recordings although I tend to prefer those with something I can latch onto.  As to so many forgotten (now revived composers), I started with Alkan in 1965 and then Moscheles (Etudes-Ponti) in 1970

To defend Philip Glass stunning musical creativity i must say that i will never go to see this opera myself ..😁

Why ?

Because it is a series of few successive snapshop paintings without any dramatic continuously maintained drama tension as like in a theater drama where the action is going on with the music with not only singers but singers actors... ( Mozart sublime opera for example or Puccini)

In the Glass work the music is the main actor , not the one who read the few texts...

Then seeing it before listening to it you conclude rightfuly that it was a bad opera in the traditional sense of the word...

I did only listen to it as a stunning musical atmosphere recreation of the sacred impression behind life in Ancient Egypt. A piece of music not really an opera...

The Faust of Busoni is my favorite Modern opera withy the Kurt Weil three penny opera and even there where the little snapshops scenes goes on with one another the music serve the plot drama... In the Glass opera the music is the drama and the main character.

I understand your perspective and opinion then perfectly but luckily i only listened to it and i never waited to see a drama which cannot win much to be seen because it is a piece of music way more than an opera... A minimalist opera, here the label is right ... 😊

And on my playback system it is stunningly beautiful and mesmerizing...

The most important book that change the course of my life was a book about the temple of Karnak...Then...

Thanks for the Omar opera recommendation i will listen to it for sure...😊 I did not know it ...

Where I strongly disagree is the horrible (but presumtively great performance) of Philip Glass Akhnaten which I saw to my dismay, live at the LA Opera. From the opening bars where the idea is to create tension, it creates a negative energy like someone clawing their nails on a chalkboard. The ending with the death of the six daughters had no input from them and totally bizarre and uninteresting. No real sung libretto, just noise. The poor dancers rolling balls back and forth on the ground. REAL DRECK!

@mahgister You are correct. It’s only about the music. As an opera, it’s "stupid." Half the audience left in mid-opera. This was pre-Covid and a full house. The recording of the music sounds great. Compare Glass’s compositions to Newman’s. Which do you prefer? I also love Busoni, Scriabin, some Berg and Webern, etc. I am picky as to music but have a wide era and type of music appreciation that. Most of this forum’s samples I understand but don’t want to hear again. Certainly not a 12 hour? piano work.

I’ve liquidated 18,000 LPs/78s to date because I have a rule, if I don’t desire to hear a recording three times annually, out it goes. I still have about 10,000 LPs and CDs to cull (many opera duplicates as late friends donated classical vocal and operas I already have and boring CDs of very lesser known composers whose music isn’t "special" to me).

Aside-my middle name is Phillip and my last name translates (Yiddish) to glass bottle-maker ergo Philip Glass! I generally dislike his "music." I’d rather my name  be associated closer to Charles Valentin Alkan.

Prior to Omar, my favorite two "modern" operas are from the 1950s, Barber’s Vanessa and Moore’s Ballad of Baby Doe (with Sills 5 arias in my head whenever I think of them). So, this Omar was very special.

While I have heard and appreciate Busoni's Doktor Faust (in my permanent collection) my favorite and my wife's is Boito's Faust (saw it with Ramey) and Gounod Faust (too long for her). 

Except for Glass who i like , i dont think we will argue much about music if i read your posts..

For the Busoni Faust i like it a lot because of Dietrich Fischer Dieskau who sing it at his peak... No other will have done better...

My best to you...